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Thread: Michael B - Food and Wine Festival – October 2017 - Saratoga Springs Resort

  1. #1

    Michael B - Food and Wine Festival – October 2017 - Saratoga Springs Resort

    Travel dates: October 11-17,2017
    Travel method: Air and rental car
    Resort: Disneys Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
    Accommodations: 1 Bedroom DVC villa
    Ages Represented in Group: 56 and 58
    Disney Resort Experience Represented in Group: 25th trip
    Cast of characters: Michael and Kelli

    Wednesday Oct 11, 2017
    Bob, our friendly limo driver picked us up at 3:50 AM for our 6 AM JetBlue flight out of JFK. We were through security by 4:50 thanks to getting the TSA pre-check on our boarding passes.

    We grabbed croissants with butter, a bowtie and chocolate chip muffin for the flight down.
    JetBlue names all their planes. Our planes name was Bluemanity.

    On the runway we almost returned to the gate since one clueless father would not stop holding his crying daughter and put her in her seat and belting her in. How many times does a steward have to say something before a person listens?

    After finally taking off the flight was uneventful. I watch Spiderman: Homecoming on the screen in front of me. We landed five minute early but had to wait for someone to move the jet bridge before we could disembark. While waiting the piolet came on and said welcome to Orlando where the weather is beautiful and JetBlue service is slow. The JetBlue plane next to our gate was named All the Blues and Whistles.

    When we finally deplaned and after a quick pit stop; our checked bag quickly came out and we were on our way. I had signed up for National Car Rentals Emerald Club for free through work and was able to get a Nissan Altima, bypassing the counter and going straight to the lot across the street.

    This time saver put us passing under the Disney arch at 10 AM. We directly went to Epcot since a text from Disney said our room was not ready.

    Our parking lot luck was poor this trip. We parked towards the end of a row with a long walk to the trams nearly every time.
    It was already warm and we tried Club Cool but it wasnt open yet. Journey Into Imagination With Figment only had a 5 minute wait so in we went; but the line was longer than that.

    We were thirsty after the ride; so we visited the DVC lounge up from the gift shop. We grabbed some DVC member buttons and tried a variety of coke combinations including Mellow Yellow Raspberry and Peach, plus a soda I never heard about, Pibb Zero. It tasted like a Dr. Pepper; its a spicy cherry soda. We also received small packets of chocolate chip cookies and cheese-its.

    Next at the suggestion of Kelli; we enjoyed the Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival. There are now two new films besides Get a Horse; Piper and Feast. We really enjoyed all three films. The reaction to Piper from the audience was priceless.

    It was finally time for the Food and Wine Festival. Our first stop was Flavors from Fire. We enjoyed: Piggy Wings, Roasted Pork Wings with Korean BBQ Sauce and Sesame Seeds; Chocolate Picante, Dark Chocolate Mousse with Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder and Raspberry Dust and an Orlando Brewery Smokin Blackwater Porter. This area was nice, they had little round tables under shade to stop and eat. We noticed our first Remy on top of the kiosk. There is a game to play looking for this rat from the Ratatouille movies around the showcase.

    Next up was The Cheese Studio; Braised Beef Stroganoff with Tiny Egg Noodles, Wild Mushroom, and Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese Sauce and the Savory Caramelized Onion Boursin Garlic and Fine Herbs Cheese Tart with Cold Arugula Salad and Aged Balsamic.

    There were nice displays in this area explaining the color of wine and perfect pairings; hints on pairing wine with chess.
    We took a right at the World Showcase and viewed the Canada film with Martin Short since we hadnt seen it for a while. We perused the shops and spent some quiet relaxing time on a bench way up in the back.

    At the New Zealand kiosk I tried the Seared Venison Loin with Wild Mushroom Marsala Sauce and Kumara Pure. We were already full and time was nearing for our food demo; so after filming some of the fountain show we shopped in Mouse Gears. Outside we watched the Jammin Chefs before heading to the Food and Wine Center Inside we sat and watch some clips from the recently tapped The Chew TV show. The best part was viewing the hosts on a variety of Disney rides. I also stopped for a free Ghirardelli free sample before entering for the F&W Culinary Demonstration with Jennifer Bushman on salmon cakes. She went on and on about the brand of Salmon and sustainable fisheries. And about a list published by the Monterrey Bay Aquarium on what and what not to eat. She did very little about the preparation.

    I did learn that for great texture in a salmon cake use half diced and finely chopped salmon. And if reheating salmon or crab cakes to use parchment to keep them crispy. The crab cake was delicious. On our way out we received a recipe booklet titled Sea Change written by Jennifer as well as John Ash.

    We received a text to see the front desk about our room assignment so we headed out but not before stopping at Jeffreys at the Main Entrance for an Iced Mocha.

    We arrived at Saratoga Spring Resort. We had request close to Disney Spring and a high floor. They did put us in the Congress section as requested but on a ground floor. They were able to find another 1 bedroom in Congress on the second floor so we took that. We love balconies since we spend time eating breakfast out there in the morning and sometime relax outside in the evening.

    We had a nice view of Disney Springs from the room and we took a one 1-hour nap. Rested; we headed out to the Publix on Vineland for provisions and got water, Lactaid, marmalade, raisin bran, eggs, bacon and English muffins. We walked over to the main building and ate at Artist Pallet. Our Caprese and Cheeseburger flatbreads were delicious. Afterwards we headed out the back steps into a waiting boat to Disney Springs. We did some light shopping, ending with a with a pineapple whip with dark rum at the Marketplace Snacks and walked back to our room. We were happy to get to sleep early since were up since 3 AM.


    Thursday Oct 12, 2017
    We sleep in till 7:30 and made bacon and eggs and had a leisurely breakfast out on the balcony enjoying the weather. I took a short walk while Kelli got ready to enjoy the perfect early morning weather and took some pictures.

    We headed to Epcot and arrived at 10:15AM. We used our FastPass for Soarin and got the middle section, second row for an enjoyable ride. Next was viewing The Circle of Life - DAM!

    The Food and Wine booths were now open and we tried Active Eats first with a M.I.A. Beer Company Hard Water Cucumber & Lemon Lime Hard Sparkling Water. It tasted like cucumber water with a bit of a kick. Next was Earth Eats for a Grilled Beef Skewer with Romaine, Apricots, and Feta Cheese; followed by Farm Fresh and a Florida Orange Groves Mango Mama Wine.

    In the World Showcase we tried the Taste of Greece: Stuffed Grape Leaves with Lemon Dill Sauce, Grilled Octopus and Feta Cheese Dip with Warm Pita bread. It was the first time my wife Kelli had tried octopus and was fine with it.

    In Thailand I tried the Red Hot Spicy Thai Curry Beef with Steamed Rice. My first bite was a piece of cauliflower that must have had a good chuck of hot pepper in it since it cleared out my sinuses! But the rest of the dish was just mildly hot and spicy.

    In Hawaii we enjoyed a very sweet Florida Orange Groves Sparkling Pineapple Wine. Kelli thought that this was the best wine of the trip, but she only likes sweet wines.

    We shopped in the Disney Traders and Port of Entry stores and purchased a Remy Hide and Squeak Map then headed for Craft Beers in the Odyssey building which also had a display on the 35th anniversary of Epcot. Here we tried the Florida Beer Company Passport 35 Triple Chocolate Milk Stout and the LOrange Cotton Candy: A mixture of Lime and Orange Cotton Candy. The beer was great. It had a very heavy chocolate aroma. Its a stout with a hint of chocolate flavor.

    Next was Spaceship Earth using a Fastpass. Kellis head photo looked like Swiss cheese, full of holes. It made for a funny video. We headed out to rest before tonights Halloween party.

    We left the room at 3:15 and used the buses and made it to the Magic Kingdom right at 4 PM. I like the Disney bus monitors at the bus stops but noticed that they kept adding minutes to our bus till it arrived 5 minutes after the original time.
    We entered the park and got our bands for the party but skipped line to get bags since we had a 4 PM ADR for The Plaza Restaurant. After checking in we had to wait 25 minutes before being seated. We did listen to the stage show at the castle while we waited.
    Kelli had the Tomato Bisque Soup and a Wedge Salad - half wedge of iceberg lettuce served with tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers and topped with Gorgonzola and ranch dressing

    I had the Home-style Meatloaf - hearty slices of meatloaf served with red skinned garlic mashed potatoes, gravy and seasonal vegetables. Dinner did not disappoint but skipped dessert so that we can sample the special desserts at the party.

    We went to the front of the park and around The Chapeau to what they use as the exit in the evening but an entrance for the party. We got our Halloween bags along with a starter pack of candy. There was party merchandise available and we got a couple of items including the party pin.

    We did Monsters Laugh Floor and once again Buddy Boil picked Kelli to read her mind. This time I remembered to get some video of it. I was briefly on camera when Buddy made the comment that Kelli likes 2 for 1 deals since we were both wearing our old Halloween party shirts from 2008. She did great and Boil guessed her number correctly even though he hid his eyes when she told the audience her number.

    We relaxed on the Tomorrwland Transit Authority and then tried for the Carousel of Progress but it was closed. Next was Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid. When we got out it was 7PM and Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party started. We trick or treated on a line that ended up inside Pinocchio Village Haus. We headed around the castle to find the Jack Skellington dessert from Sleepy Hollow; a push up pop with chocolate cake and crme topped with a white chocolate jack. It was fantastic!

    Next was the Haunted Mansion. Both cemeteries were eerily lit. Outside a female ghost and dead butler interacted with passersby. Next treat was the Haunted Mansion dessert from the nearby Liberty Square Produce market. This delicious treat was a chocolate tart shell filled with chocolate ganache and topped with peanut butter icing and white chocolate.

    We made our way to the castle stage to see the Hocus Pocus show. This was disappointing as we did not like the music and left before it finished. We looked for a spot to view the parade near the shooting gallery and listened to the Cadaver Dans Barbershop Quartet.

    The Headless Horseman rode pass 11 minutes after nine followed by the parade 7 minutes later. I think weve seen the parade to many times. It was good but not as exciting as before since there are no new elements.

    After the parade we Trick-or-treat inside the Tiki room and headed to the hub for Hallowwishes. The special fireworks were fantastic as usual. This was followed by Trick or Treating inside the Stitch ride. We had to try the Candy Corn Ice-cream from Auntie Gravitys. It tasted much better than it sounds.

    We finished the night at the Scream-o-ween Dance party with Boo, Sulley, and Mike where they danced to Callin' all the Monsters by Chyna Anne Mcclaine.

    We left the party before it officially ended to avoid the huge lines for the buses and got back to the room at midnight.

    Michael and Kellis August 2016 Trip with 25 Friends and family
    http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?234828
    Common Walt Disney World Wild Birds http://bochnik.com/disneybirds/disneybirds.htm
    Our other Disney Trips (including our Disneymoon): Kelli and Mike's Adventures http://www.bochnik.com/

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  3. #2

    Here is the YouTube video of Kelli and Buddy Boil

    Michael and Kellis August 2016 Trip with 25 Friends and family
    http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?234828
    Common Walt Disney World Wild Birds http://bochnik.com/disneybirds/disneybirds.htm
    Our other Disney Trips (including our Disneymoon): Kelli and Mike's Adventures http://www.bochnik.com/

  4. #3

    Really enjoying your trip report! Thanks!

    Jan

    "A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference." --Eeyore

  5. #4
    Friday Oct 13, 2017

    After the late night we slept in a bit. While Kelli was getting ready I took the bus to the Artist Palette to pick up two cupcakes that we eyed earlier; a Boston Cream Pie cupcake and a Cookies n Milk cupcake. They were good cupcakes, but nothing special.

    We made it to Animal Kingdom at 10:30 and finally the parking gods smiled upon us. We had a short walk to a waiting tram that left right away. We did Kilimanjaro Safaris using a Fastpass with seats right behind the driver. We both noticed how bouncy and springy the drivers chair was. It looked fun. Next was Kali River Rapids also with a FastPass. I used the free lockers to store my backpack. Good thing I did since they took out the storage area in the middle of the rafts. We only got a bit wet, just enough to make it refreshing. The heat of the day made us dry out quickly.

    We made our way over to Pandora and had lunch at Satu'li Canteen. I tried the Satuli bowl with chicken, red and sweet potato hash and charred onion chimichurri. Kelli had the Kids meals Teylu Hot Dog wrapped in Dough. We shared the Dreamwalker Sangria - refreshing white sangria with a hint of Blue Curacao and the Blueberry Cream Cheese Mousse - with passion fruit curd. The dessert looked like it came out of a cartoon but was delicious.

    We tried to get online for Na'vi River Journey but even the fast pass line was almost backed up to the entrance to Pandora. We gave up temporarily and shopped in Windtraders. We brought home a green and yellow Banshee. Side Note: When we got home I was surprised our parakeet Penny loved our Banshee. We named him Norbert. I Know, I Know, I am mixing franchises. I will post a video of the two of them. Afterwards the FastPass line for the river had diminished. I loved this new ride with all the bioluminescent creatures; Kelli not so much. We tried to quickly head over to the Festival of the Lion King but it had already filled. Instead we shopped in both the Island Mercantile and Discovery Trading Company before heading out.

    We had an early dinner reservation for one of our favorite restaurants; Artist Point. I drove over and we were early so we had drinks in the Territory Lounge. A Banana Spiced Rum Martini for me and a Godiva Chocolate Martini for Kelli. I noticed that they had the German Grapefruit Beer, Schofferhofer Pink Grapefruit Hefeweizen that Kelli wanted to try and hoped it was available inside the restaurant.

    After finishing our drinks, the restaurant opened up and we headed in. I asked our waitress if the Schofferhofer Pink Grapefruit Hefeweizen was available and she made sure I was able to get one. Kelli did like the beer.

    We each had soup, the Roasted Fall Squash Soup and the Smoked Mushroom Bisque. The bisque was even better than I remembered. For entrees Kelli had the Aged Buffalo Strip Loin and I the Taste of the Pacific, Chilled Shrimp, Seared Diver Sea Scallops. Desserts were a Vanilla Bean Crme Brle and Warm Donuts with Chocolate-Rose Hip Crme. This was a fantastic dinner. Its been a while since we were here and its nice to reconfirm that this is still one of our favorite restaurants in Disney.

    We finished the night inside our villa; updating our trips notes and downloading pictures.

    Saturday Oct 14, 2017
    Today we are Visiting friends in Melbourne. We had a wonderful time. Just one note from today. We ate at Dustond BBQ and their special dessert, Sweet Potato Maple Layered Cheesecake tasted way better than it sounds. Another delicious dessert. We returned to the Disney Bubble after 9 PM.
    Michael and Kellis August 2016 Trip with 25 Friends and family
    http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?234828
    Common Walt Disney World Wild Birds http://bochnik.com/disneybirds/disneybirds.htm
    Our other Disney Trips (including our Disneymoon): Kelli and Mike's Adventures http://www.bochnik.com/

  6. #5

    Here is a short YouTube video of Norbert and Penny.

    Michael and Kellis August 2016 Trip with 25 Friends and family
    http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?234828
    Common Walt Disney World Wild Birds http://bochnik.com/disneybirds/disneybirds.htm
    Our other Disney Trips (including our Disneymoon): Kelli and Mike's Adventures http://www.bochnik.com/

  7. #6
    Sunday Oct 15, 2017

    Hollywood Studios had the extra morning hour and Kelli decided not to go so I did a quick half morning trip over there. I purposely went without a bag to get through security with little wait.

    There was a ridiculously long line for roller coaster; backed out to the Tower of Terror; so I rode Terror. We had a great sequence and a number of first time riders made it even more fun. When I got out the line for the coaster was still long. I headed over to Star Tours and noticed a couple of Eurasian Collared Doves outside the attraction. I am seeing these birds more and more inside the parks lately.

    My Star Tour included Darth Vader, the ice planet Hoth, BB-8, and Boba Fett/incomplete Death Star scenarios. I walked over to the Muppet area to see the changes that they made and visited Gonzos Royal Flush for a much needed break. It was too early for the Base Line Tap House to be open. Maybe next time.

    Toy Story Mania! Had only a 20-minute wait so I didnt wait for my FastPass and scored 172,800.
    I leisurely strolled through Star Wars Launch Bay and took time looking at each movie model and descriptions. I overheard two CMs, one of them in training. If a child runs we say Ewok; Kylo Ren instead of We walk, no run. I think Ive heard them say this on one of my prior trips but didnt get it at the time.

    I headed to the front of the park and into the shops near the entrance when I heard on loud speakers that Captain Phasmas ship was landing so I stepped outside to see the March of the First Order down Hollywood Blvd.

    Kelli texted me that she had a nice bird while walking the paths at Saratoga Springs. I quickly returned to the resort and met her at the gazebo at the end of the path near our building. We saw a number of water birds including Anhinga, Common Gallinules, Tricolored Heron as well as Blue-gray Gnatcatchers in the trees plus one spectacular looking warbler; a Yellow-throated Warbler. This bird rarely makes it north into the New York area.

    We then relaxed in the quiet pool for a couple of hours. For lunch we headed to Disney Springs and decided on BB Wolfs Sausage Co. Kelli had the Three Little Pigs; which are now different from when I was here in February. They now include Italian, Latin and Greek mini dogs. I had the Greek Dog. I love the dark humor about this place; brings a smile to my face every time. Maybe I have a little of the Big Bad Wolf in me.
    A Tricolored Heron flew to the top of a nearby kiosk and I got some good photos.

    Dessert was at Ghirardellis for a Banana Split and Hot Fudge Sundae. We saw a Limpkin at the edge of the water on the walk back.

    We rested back at the villa till dinner time and headed to Epcot by bus to eat. We stopped in front of Epcot to get our picture with Spaceship Earth and the Food & Wine signs. Then headed over to the Visa meet and greet for a photo with Pluto and Minnie Mouse.

    At the Australia kiosk I had the Grilled Lamb T-Bone with Mint Pesto and Potato Crunchies and a Grilled Sweet and Spicy Bush Berry Shrimp with Pineapple, Pepper, Onion and Snap Peas.

    In Canada Kelli enjoyed the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup served with a Pretzel Roll and a Neige Premiere Apple Ice Wine. In Scotland we shared the Fresh Potato Pancake with Scottish Smoked Salmon and Herbed Sour Cream and The Tipsy Laird: Whiskey-soaked Cake with Lemon Cream and Toasted Oats.

    We were full and headed out the International Gate to take a boat to Hollywood Studios to see both the Disney's Movie Magic show and Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular. It was packed and I would have liked to have been closer. While waiting we endured our tenth Bubble Storm. Whats a bubble storm you ask? It when you have to walk through or stand near one of those hand held bubble making toys and the kid will not let go of the trigger. We enjoyed both shows though we miss the fireworks that the older version the Star Wars Spectacular had.
    Michael and Kellis August 2016 Trip with 25 Friends and family
    http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?234828
    Common Walt Disney World Wild Birds http://bochnik.com/disneybirds/disneybirds.htm
    Our other Disney Trips (including our Disneymoon): Kelli and Mike's Adventures http://www.bochnik.com/

  8. #7
    Monday Oct 16, 2017
    We woke up early and enjoyed the grounds near Lake Buena Vista for a bit before heading to the parks. The highlight of our walk were two flyover Wood Storks.

    We headed over to Animal Kingdom by car and parked near the end of a row and again had a long walk just to the tram. As we arrived on Discovery Island we saw a very brief parrot flight. We re-rode Na'vi River Journey with FastPasses and watch some of the Swotu Waya Na’vi Drum performance before leaving. I wanted to use the short cut to the back of the Lion King but it was blocked. They were using this long path to queue the incredibly long line for Flight of Passage which had a posted wait of 3 hours.

    We did make the 10 am show of the Festival of the Lion King and sat in the giraffe section. After hitting the rest rooms and enduring another bubble storm we stopped for ice-cream in Asia. We heard two parrots squawking in the trees, then heard cast members from the Flights of Wonder show calling them back. Their names were Cosmo and Griffon. The two ill behaving parrots ignored them for quite a while but eventually flew back to the theater.

    We waited for the next show. We had a great comedic Guano Joe and used our slo-mo settings on our phones to get some great birds in flight video.

    We headed over to Epcot for lunch at the Food & Wine festival. We were hot and thirsty so stopped at Club Cool for a bit. We stopped in Thailand for a Seared Shrimp and Scallop Cake.

    We ran across the Vikings in Norway. They were blunt and gruff. One boy wanted an autograph. One of the Vikings was hilarious in trying to figure out how to use a pen. Every time the boy would click the pen open the Viking would copy him but by clicking it, closing the pen. Eventually he scribbled on the page like a 2-year old, then show the other Viking. The other Viking couldnt understand the scribble. The first Viking then turned the page upside down and the second Viking then got it And they laughed and laughed, leaving a very confused boy. We went into the Stave Church where displays show the Frozen/Norway connection.

    Onto more food. In China we shared a Beijing Roasted Duck with Bao Bun and Hoisin Sauce and drank a Happy Peach with DeKuyper Peach Liqueur and Myers’s Dark Rum. At India we shared the Warm Indian Bread with Pickled Garlic, Mango Salsa and Coriander Pesto Dips and the Korma Chicken with Cucumber Tomato Salad, Almonds, Cashews and Warm Naan Bread. I drank a Kingfisher Lager. We had to head to the Festival center for another culinary demo but not before grabbing a Spicy Apple Margarita in Mexico.

    The 2:30 PM F&W Culinary Demonstrations featured Pastry chef Kim Yelvington, and did a Banana Bread Pudding. Tips included to use unsalted butter in baking. European butter has more fat content, lower water. And if you have to add sugar to eggs, whip it well for best results. We learned that Dulce de leche is just caramelized condensed milk. She told a story where she tried to make her own and the closed condensed milk can exploded when she forgot about it and it over heated. The last tip; buy your Dulce de leche instead of trying to making your own.

    We shopped in Mouse Gears to grab things we were eyeing the past week then did the Visa Meet and Greet with Mickey and Goofy. I stopped by the Chocolate Studio to take back two desserts. A Liquid Nitro Chocolate-Almond Truffle with Warm Whiskey-Caramel and a Sweet Dark Chocolate Raspberry Torte with Whipped Cream and Raspberry Dust. Our last stop before heading out was the Light Lab and I tried the Sixpoint Brewery Mad Scientist Radian Flux; mainly because of the name.

    After resting in the room we decided we had enough energy to see the new fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. We made it to the park by bus around 7:45 and headed to Casey Corner’s for bite to eat. The lines were moderately long but I had remembered that this place uses the MyDisney app to pre-order food. We used the phone to avoid the ordering line and it worked well. It was a bit of a logjam at the waiting point to pick up the food. I tried to stay further away so as not to add the crowd; but when they called my name they almost took it away before I made my way to the counter.

    After eating we tried to make our way out to a spot on Main Street but it was already packed. The flow pushed us past Main Street and the Plaza Restaurant. We turned right when we reached the turn for those leaving the park down the path behind Main Street. We had a good half-hour wait at the area just got packed with people. We enjoyed the new Happily Ever After show. The music may not be as memorable as Wishes. The projections onto the castle were great and we hope to have a better view of them next time. The fireworks had some new specialty ones and the colors seemed more vivid in some.

    We made our way out in using the back of Main Street. Near the buses we saw the Electric Pageant go by. It looked like we just missed a bus but it didnt take too long for the next one to show.

    Tomorrow we will have time in the parks before getting a late day flight out.
    Michael and Kellis August 2016 Trip with 25 Friends and family
    http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?234828
    Common Walt Disney World Wild Birds http://bochnik.com/disneybirds/disneybirds.htm
    Our other Disney Trips (including our Disneymoon): Kelli and Mike's Adventures http://www.bochnik.com/

  9. #8
    Tuesday Oct 17, 2017

    We really wanted to get more pool time in, so after breakfast out on the balcony we headed over for a quick swim. We were able to dry out our bathing suits using the drier in the one-bedroom villa before packing them. Kelli pointed out a Hidden Mickey in bed headboard.

    We put all of our luggage in the car and drove over the main building to check our bags and get our boarding passes using the Resort Airline Check-In. Then drove to Epcot.

    We ran across the highlight of the trip for me. I am a big Muppet fan and we saw the Muppet Mobile Lab behind Spaceship Earth. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker ride around showing off the wonders of science via their mobile lab while interacting with guests.

    We rode Nemo & Friends using a FastPass then did Turtle Talk with Crush. This session featured a football helmet and many other characters from the two movies; Hank, Destiny, Dori, Marlin, and Squirt.
    For our last lunch for the Food and Wine Festival we started at Coastal Eats for a Lump Crab Cake with Napa Cabbage Slaw and Avocado Lemongrass Cream and a Baked Shrimp Scampi Dip with Sourdough Baguette. The dip was the food highlight of the day.

    We made our way clockwise around the World Showcase. We made our way through another perilous Bubble Storm and into Norway. We had FastPass for Frozen Ever After and enjoyed another ride. A small boy 3-4 years old was crying ahead of us after we got off the boat. He didnt like the ride; he kept crying It Go Down. I guess he didnt like the small backwards or forwards drop.

    In Africa the Spinach and Paneer Cheese Pocket with Mint Raita, was surprisingly spicy. It went down well with an Ernie Els Big Easy Chenin Blanc.

    In Germany we tried the two Rieslings. One sweet, a Dr. Heyden Oppenheimer Sactrger Riesling Sptlese for Kelli and I had the dry one, a Selbach Riesling Classic Dry. I liked both. We also shared an Apple Strudel with Vanilla Sauce while Margret Almer & The Bavarian Band was playing.

    In Spain Kelli ordered the Charcuterie in a Cone with a selection of imported Spanish Meats, Cheeses, Olives and an Herb Vinaigrette. I had the Traditional Spanish Paella with Shrimp, Mussels, Chicken and Crispy Chorizo and we shared the Sweet Olive Oil Cake with Powdered Sugar and Lemon Curd.
    As we were walking past the American Pavilion I spotted some White Ibis (birds) walking along the showcase path. A few pass in front of two ladies on a bench. One; unknowingly to the ladies; went behind and grabbed food that was on the bench between them. They yelled in surprise then started laughing as they exclaimed, they took the whole thing. Beware, the birds enjoy the Food and Wine Festival as well.

    We headed to Japan to shop in The Mitsukoshi Department Store. I watch some of the drummers before heading in. We found and purchased some odd KitKats. They were green tea flavor, and yes the outer coating tasted like green tea instead of chocolate.

    We were full but I knew I had to try the Croissant aux Escargots: Escargot Croissant with Garlic and Parsley at the France kiosk. We also shared the Crme Brle la Confiture de Framboises: Crme Brle with Housemade Rasberry Jam.

    Our time for the park ran out and we headed to the exit. We got to our car at 3 PM and had no trouble getting to the airport. We grabbed a bite to eat and while on line Kelli spotted a Bald Eagle flying over and past the airport. Our JetBlue plane was named the Blue Yorker and took off on time at 5:54 PM. We had a tail wind and arrived very early. With second row seats we were quickly off the plane. Even though the flight arrival time was for 8:40 PM; we had our bags off the carousel at 8:22 PM. It was nice to get home earlier than planned.

    Hope you enjoyed our trip report.

    Thanks

    Michael and Kelli
    Michael and Kellis August 2016 Trip with 25 Friends and family
    http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?234828
    Common Walt Disney World Wild Birds http://bochnik.com/disneybirds/disneybirds.htm
    Our other Disney Trips (including our Disneymoon): Kelli and Mike's Adventures http://www.bochnik.com/

  10. #9

    I put together a series of video clips from our vacation.

    Michael and Kellis August 2016 Trip with 25 Friends and family
    http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?234828
    Common Walt Disney World Wild Birds http://bochnik.com/disneybirds/disneybirds.htm
    Our other Disney Trips (including our Disneymoon): Kelli and Mike's Adventures http://www.bochnik.com/

  11. #10

    Our web page on the trip is up with lots of pictures and some videos

    http://bochnik.com/disneyoct2017/disneyoct2017.htm

    Michael and Kellis August 2016 Trip with 25 Friends and family
    http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?234828
    Common Walt Disney World Wild Birds http://bochnik.com/disneybirds/disneybirds.htm
    Our other Disney Trips (including our Disneymoon): Kelli and Mike's Adventures http://www.bochnik.com/

  12. #11

    Thanks for sharing your trip report. Sounds like you had a magical time.


  13. #12

    Here's a video of Sheldon, our Christmas Elf riding the new Avitar Flight of Passage ride with tragic results. Watch it til the end
    https://youtu.be/Hg4ZLZDhyvc

    Michael and Kellis August 2016 Trip with 25 Friends and family
    http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?234828
    Common Walt Disney World Wild Birds http://bochnik.com/disneybirds/disneybirds.htm
    Our other Disney Trips (including our Disneymoon): Kelli and Mike's Adventures http://www.bochnik.com/

  14. #13

    Thanks so much. I always enjoy your trips.
    Ellen


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